Irish Whiskey Cake

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"Maida Heatter"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon mace
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 lemons, rind of, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1⁄2 cup Irish whiskey (or any Scotch, whiskey, bourbon, or blend)
• 1⁄2 cup diced candied orange peel
• 1⁄2 cup light raisins
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 3⁄4 cup pecans, cut into medium-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

directions

1. Position oven rack 1/3 up from bottom of oven; preheat oven to 350°.
2. Butter a 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ¼ inch loaf pan; dust it with fine, dry bread crumbs, then, over a piece of paper, tap to shake out excess crumbs.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, mace, and salt; set aside.
4. Mix the lemon rind and juice together; set aside.
5. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter; add in the vanilla, and then the sugar and beat to mix well.
6. Add in the yolks and beat well.
7. On low speed add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the whiskey in two additions, scraping the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula and beating only until incorporated after each addition.
8. Remove bowl from the mixer; stir in the lemon rind and juice, candied peel, raisins, caraway seeds, and pecans.
9. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a definite shape but are not stiff or dry; fold them into the batter.
10. Turn batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
11. With a spoon, form a shallow trench, lengthwise down the middle of the cake (that makes a more level top, less of a mound, when baked).
12. Bake for 1 ¼ hours or until the pick comes out clean.
13. While the cake is baking, if it begins to darken too much, cover it loosely with foil.
14. As you remove the cake from the oven, spread the softened butter over the top.
15. The top of the cake will have formed a deep crack—it is ok.
16. Let the cake stand in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes; then cover it with another rack, turn over the pan and the rack, remove the pan, and carefully turn the cake right side up to cool on the rack.
17. It is best to wrap and refrigerate this for at least a few hours, or overnight before slicing—it slices best when it is cold; may slice with serrated knife.